Chapter 40ISABELLA'S POVI strolled in the garden as I did every evening, my eyes on the flowers. It was early in September, and I wore a light jacket to protect me from the cool wind.I hadn’t heard from him, not a word. After our last argument, it was as if he disappeared from the face of the earth. He hadn't even returned to the house.For some time, I had thought I might be pregnant, from that last time Alex had taken me, but it had turned out to be a false alarm.My system had simply gone awry from depression. Besides, I was on birth control.I was depressed. Depressed and upset. Anger at Edward for not letting me pursue a modeling career, for not letting me have kids of my own.I was also angry at Alex. For stirring up my emotions and leaving me hanging. For not reaching out to me. For being selfish. For making me pine after him so much, it hurt.The wind became colder and I headed towards the house, into the living room. I sat on one of the sofas, brooding, wondering how I wou
ALEXANDER'S POVI groaned in frustration as I watched Isabella walk out of the living room. Shit!Why did Olivia choose now to come home? I slipped my hands into my pocket to control the urge seemingly burning through my skin to run after her and pull her into my arms. I didn’t realize just how intimately my body reacted to hers.I had absolutely not been mistaken. The woman held a power over me that no one else could contend with.When it came to our relationship, she gave up easily and I didn’t understand why. I cared about her so much that I uprooted my life and came all the way to her.I thought about Olivia, my mood instantly darkening. I knew Olivia wasn't fond of Isabella, probably because she was used to getting all the attention from our father, and probably because she and Isabella were practically the same age. She probably couldn't imagine a girl her age being her stepmother. But today, I found out it ran deeper than that.Olivia resented Isabella and she didn't hide it an
Chapter 4ISABELLA'S POVI felt my heart come to a complete stop. The room went utterly silent. From then onwards, a pin could have been heard dropping to the floor.Dinner was going smoothly and here, I was allowed to watch him, because every other person at the table focused on their food. He had never seemed so attractive to me, and I wanted him so badly.I watched him chew his chicken slowly, savoring every bite. I watched him lick his plump, shapely lips. Lips that could do wonders for my body.Perhaps he had even come all the way here for me, I had thought.Apparently, I thought wrong because I was caught drooling lustfully at Alex."That's enough, Olivia!,” Alex went on with clenched teeth, and although he was just speaking to Olivia, I knew that everyone could hear every word."What do you mean by what you just said? What if she wasn't staring at me? Dad is sitting beside me. What if she was looking at Dad? Huh!""But I saw her." Olivia protested."You don't know what you saw.
ISABELLA'S POVMy hands were still wringing until I was sure I was going to peel the skin off my bones.Olivia stood before me, smiling maliciously at me. A long silence passed between us before she spoke again."I'll forget about your ring. I'll forget about finding it in my brother's room. I'll forget it all. I'll erase it from my mind. On one condition."When I didn’t respond, she turned to face me, and when I met her gaze, I found in her eyes the quiet desperation."You have to do something for me in return."I regarded her quietly and remained quiet, dreading what she would request. Olivia had never missed an opportunity to make me miserable. She enjoyed insulting me and never failed to remind me of how I married her father who is old enough to birth me.She was a thorn in my flesh. I felt peace when she got admitted into college and left. The times she came home, I avoided bumping into her.She was a nightmare.She walked closer to me until I could smell the alcohol on her breat
ISABELLA'S POVI’d just finished the shower when Edward came in.He met my gaze for a brief moment.“Hi,” I said to him, and without waiting for a response, turned my back to him.He watched me, as I stood in front of the mirror, brushing out my hair to be pulled into a bun.I was sure he saw my hand tremble.I met his gaze through his reflection in the mirror and sent him a smile.I was dressed in khaki shorts and one of his T-shirts, just as he liked.After slipping off his shoes, he headed over to me. He stood just close enough to me that I could feel his breath on my skin."I'm sorry about Olivia. She's just a kid. You shouldn't take whatever she says to heart.""She's a kid? We're literally the same age Edward! You sat there and watched her insult me, and now you say I should overlook it because she's a kid?" I was so angry at him. My eyes were filled with tears again and I struggled to keep them from falling."No, Isabella. Don't sound that way." He came closer and pulled me clo
ISABELLA'S POVI woke up the next morning feeling sore. I tried to move my legs but the jolt of the sting almost set me off right there. I took a few seconds to calm myself. I couldn't move my legs without hurting.Edward had fucked me last night until I almost passed out. I watched him fall asleep after the intense blow-job I gave him and I thought I was free.But I thought wrong.I was fast asleep when I was rudely awakened by Edward pulling down my shorts. And the next thing I knew, he shoved his member into my dry sex and I let out a piercing shriek.He always seemed to think that the sounds of pain I made were sounds of pleasure. It seemed to excite him.He didn't understand foreplay. He didn't understand that I needed to get ready to receive him. And he didn't know how to be gentle. He didn't know how to give me pleasure.He pumped into me like a dog in heat and spanked me continuously. I was sure his palms were imprinted on my ass. After he was done, he collapsed on me and I la
ISABELLA'S POVMy throat was so tight that I was almost choking on my words as I stared up at him, the tears overflowing and rolling down my cheeks.With one thumb, Alex rubbed away the tears tracking my face."What's wrong Isabella?" He asked, his voice low and raspy.He moved both his hands up to cup my face, sliding his fingers into my thick curly hair and tilting my face closer to his."I dunno... I'm just so sad... It... falling... apart and...I.... so sad."I was a slobbering mess. I had gone pale and my face very still as I felt his touch. I wasn’t a weepy person, and I was trying hard not to cry, but the tears kept rolling down my face as I faced him, and I kept angrily dashing them away.Slowly Alex reached out and brushed my hair away from my damp face, then eased me into his arms and pressed my head against his shoulder. “Whatever happens, I'll be here for you,” he said in a low, tortured voice.Desperately I clung to him, inhaling deeply to draw the scent of him into my bo
ISABELLA'S POV His low, rough words washed over my shaking, twisting body. Crying a little, tormented by those long, probing fingers as he brought me to moist readiness, I tried again to free my hands, and this time he let them go.“Now,” he crooned, pulling the nightgown up. I lifted myself to aid in the removal of the frustrating garment, pulling it over my head myself and throwing it across the room.Alex’s face tightened even more as he stared down at my naked body, at my flushed, glowing skin. Briefly, his eyes closed, and he ground his teeth together.Carefully he rolled to his back and guided me astride him. “Slow and easy,” he muttered, his eyes glittering like black fire as he positioned himself for me. “Let’s go easy, a little at a time.”Oh Alex,” I whispered achingly, closing my eyes at the probing of his flesh against mine. I braced my hands on his chest, my fingers flexing in the mat of curly hair, and slid onto him.He made a guttural sound and arched beneath me, his ha